By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
EcoVista Development LLC is requesting a rezoning and final plat for a 42.9-acre site at 163rd Avenue and Jomax Road in Surprise to create a mixed-use development featuring 13.3 net acres of commercial and 26.8 net acres of multifamily residential.
Known as Desert Arroyo, the site is currently comprised of 10 parcels. Approximately 20 acres are part of the Legacy Village Planned Area Development and zoned for commercial uses. The remainder is zoned for rural residential. Under the request, the portion nearest the intersection would receive the commercial designation, with the planned residential being placed behind.
The location is almost all vacant, undeveloped desert, except for a small house and ranch along Jomax, according to the submitted narrative. Surrounding uses include vacant land with a mix of single- and multifamily zoning. Hines’ master-planned Nobella community site—which will include traditional single-family, single-family for rent and Build-to-Rent components—lies to the east. To the west are two parcels currently zoned for rural residential but that are expected to be rezoned and developed for commercial uses, including a Circle K gas station and convenience store.
Commercial
The proposed 13.3 net acres of commercial development will yield approximately 135KSF of floor area. The site plan calls for “an integrated campus-like setting with a centralized open space and a network of public pedestrian paths for customers and employees to enjoy,” according to the narrative.
The commercial development is planned as a mix of retail and office space. The narrative points out that 20 acres is the maximum allowable size for a commercial center and then combines the requested 13.3 net acres with the 2.68 acres planned for the proposed Circle K, leaving roughly four acres allotted for future development.
Preliminary estimates for construction plan for 13 buildings with a mix of retail and restaurant uses. Office space will generally be located on the second floor.
Multifamily
The planned multifamily component will offer up to 475 market-rate residential units, yielding a density of approximately 17.7 units/acre.
Residences are planned as two-story one-, two- and three-bedroom units with private garages. Units will be connected by pedestrian paths that integrate into the commercial area and to community amenities to promote walkability and minimize the need for short-trip vehicular use on both Jomax and 163rd Avenue.
The multifamily portion is divided into two sections: The Villages at Desert Arroyo West at 210 units and 22 buildings and The Villages at Desert Arroyo East with 265 units in 28 buildings.
Community Outreach and Response
Until recently, Surprise has been one of the Valley’s less active destinations for new commercial or residential development, except around its outer edges bordering more active cities. With the introduction of the Loop 303 freeway and the development of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company plant in north Phoenix, interest in Surprise has boomed.
Since plans for the Prasada Gateway Costco were first publicized in early 2019, the city has seen approximately 85MSF of retail/restaurant/commercial space delivered to the market, with another nearly 132MSF under construction, according to the DATABEX project database.
In roughly the same period, 15 multifamily communities of nearly all types have been delivered. Another 13 are under construction, and 19 more are in various stages of planning/design/procurement.
Along with the increased interest has come some of the Valley’s most organized and entrenched opposition to new development. Much of that opposition coalesced into a persistently organized force after Dominium proposed a master plan with affordable housing, senior residential and self-storage at Waddell Road and Cotton Lane.
After multiple revisions to the plan by the developer, organized and persistent misinformation and intimidation on the part of some members of the opposition, and a series of hearings and votes, an amended plan was approved by City Council but has faced ongoing legal challenges.
According to the submitted citizens participation report, EcoVista Development and project representatives from Beus Gilbert McGroder PLLC held an in-person neighborhood meeting in September to introduce the project and collect resident feedback. Concerns expressed by the 31 attendees covered the standard gamut: Why can’t the area remain undeveloped desert? There is too much residential development in Surprise. It will create too much traffic. Where is the water coming from? We don’t want multifamily or high-density development. Will this be Section 8 housing?
The report addresses each concern concisely. Points presented included the developer’s contributions to the “PA 2 North Water Group to coordinate the continued development of the Desert Oasis Water Campus,” to ensure adequate water; the fact that all of the land is currently entitled for commercial uses and is privately owned, thus ensuring it will be developed in some form; evidence that Surprise is dramatically lagging in terms of needed housing development versus existing and projected demand, and the area benefits of more dense townhome versus traditional single-family development.
The responses also took aim at what area housing advocate and former Gilbert Mayor Jenn Daniels has frequently referred to as, “opposition to ‘those people,’” that often comes out during resident statements. In particular, this type of opponent generally speaks out against multifamily in general, and any reference to affordability immediately gets tied to Section 8 publicly subsidized housing, inaccurate statements about increased crime, damage to property values and harm to the character of established neighborhoods.
Representatives explained the residential portion will be gated and professionally managed as a high-end, luxury, market-rate community and that there is no Section 8 or otherwise affordably designated component.
The development team and supporters, possibly expecting entrenched development opposition, undertook an organized outreach campaign of their own. Nearly 150 of the 160 pages in the collected statements of opposition and support received since Sept. 8 and submitted with the project materials consist of individually signed, identical one-paragraph form letters expressing support and urging approval.
The requests are scheduled for a hearing before the Surprise Planning and Zoning Commission on Feb. 15. The developer is EcoVista Development LLC. Ron Deitrick Architects (RDA) is the design firm, and the project is represented by Beus Gilbert McGroder.
